JP2010525927A - Shoes with shape-fit closure structure - Google Patents

Abstract

  The shape-fit closure structure and the method of internal tightening of the shoe made it easier for the closure system to ensure the position of the shoe wearer's foot. The system includes (1) an outer sole that is open to allow the foot to enter and can be closed on the foot by a closure system, and (2) encases the instep of the foot and closes the shoe A sock-like internal clamping structure fixed to the device system. A method of providing a better fit of the shoe around the shoe wearer's foot by ensuring retention of the position of the foot within the shoe is also disclosed.

Description

The present invention relates to a shoe and a form fitting closure of the shoe. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shoe having a sock-like inner liner that is connected to the outer shell of the shoe and can be closed regardless of the stiffness of the outer shell.
[Cross-reference of related applications]

  This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 927,694, filed May 3, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  Shoe closures are usually part of the shoe upper and are used by the shoe wearer to get in and out of the foot and to tighten the shoe around the wearer's foot after putting the foot in. Makes it possible to open and close. Shoes have been manufactured with various closure systems that allow the shoe to properly fit the wearer's foot. Known shoe closure systems include shoelace systems, zipper systems, hook and loop (also known as velcro) systems, and button, buckle, and clasp systems. It is done. Simple shoelace systems typically pass alternately through loops or holes on both the lateral side and medial side of the upper and pull them together when tightened Includes one shoelace. The shoelace system is designed to attach the shoe more securely to the wearer's foot to provide a snug fit.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sports boot having a strap. This strap is secured to the sole and extends upward to the instep region of the boot, the tip of which provides a loop for the shoelace. The loop is attached to the inside of the boot's outer upper. When the shoelace is tightened, the strap pulls the upper securely around the wearer's foot. Due to the attachment of the loop to the upper, the ability of the strap to be tightened around the wearer's foot is determined by the rigidity or flexibility of the upper. Boots are usually made of a rigid and inflexible material such as leather. The stiffness of such material limits the degree to which the shoe can be tightened around the wearer's foot.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a footwear article having a shoelace system and a pair of heel straps attached to an outer side and an inner side of the footwear article. The shoelace system includes instep pieces that are attached on one side to the outer and inner sides of the sole. The free end of the instep piece is attached to a strap that is inserted through the upper to form a shoelace loop. The heel strap forms the last loop pair through which the shoelace passes. As the shoelace is tightened, the outer and inner sides and the instep piece of the footwear article are pulled together and the heel strap pulls the heel region inwardly around the wearer's ankle. Since the strap attached to the instep piece is inserted through the upper, the performance of the footwear article to fit the wearer's foot is still limited by the stiffness of the material used to make the upper .

  The use of more flexible materials can result in a more customized tight fit, but the performance of the shoe to protect and support the foot is compromised. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses an athletic shoe having a plurality of straps fixed to a sole. These straps are spaced from the toe region back to the heel region. The ends of these straps form a loop in the instep region through which the shoelace passes. When the shoelace is tightened, the strap tightens around the wearer's foot. While providing a snug fit, this shoe lacks a rigid cover that protects the foot.

  Patent Document 4 discloses a sports shoe having both an internal tightening device and an external upper for supporting and protecting the wearer's foot. The internal clamping device includes a sock-like liner made of a flexible material that surrounds the midstep portion of the foot. The liner is attached to the shoe at the sole and extends up the outer and inner sides of the foot. At the top of the foot, the liner edges are connected to each other via a fastening device such as a shoelace system. By tightening the clamping device, the liner is pulled around the foot so that the sock-like liner fits the foot. The outer upper covers the entire foot and the inner clamping device, but also has a separate closure system. While this shoe provides a snug fit, the tightness of the sock-like liner does not interlock with the outer upper, allowing the foot to move significantly freely within the boot.

  Finally, Patent Document 5 discloses an athletic shoe that uses a shoelace or a flexible band connected to a cushion insole so as to be fixed to a user's foot. The cushion insole is elastically flexible. The cushion insole is located above the main insole in the shoe and contacts the sole of the foot. The cushion insole can be held in place by the toe wall and upper. Alternatively, the cushion insole can be adhesively secured to the heel portion of the main insole. The instep region of the shoe includes a shoelace or a hole for a flexible band. Each shoelace or flexible band extends from the outside of the shoe through one of the holes to an instep region within the shoe. Inside the shoe, the shoelace or flexible band crosses the foot laterally, loops the side of the foot under the cushion insole, crosses the shoe under the bottom of the cushion insole, and the side of the foot Go up, cross over back to the top of the foot, then exit the shoe through one of the holes on the opposite side. The end of the shoelace or flexible band is pulled tight, the instep region is closed and the cushion insole is pulled tight against the sole of the foot. The shoelace or band closes the instep area on the foot and secures the foot to the cushion insole, but the foot position is not firmly secured in the shoe. Since the cushion insole itself is not securely fastened to the insole, the foot can still move within the shoe. Although this patent teaches that the main insole can be glued to the heel area of the main insole, the toe and arch areas of the cushion insole are still free to separate from the shoe insole, so Allows to move freely within the shoe.

US Pat. No. 6,954,996 US Pat. No. 5,992,057 US Pat. No. 6,701,644 US Pat. No. 5,704,138 US Pat. No. 4,592,154

  Accordingly, there is a need for a shoe that can fit the wearer's foot when tightened, stabilize the foot therein, and protect the foot.

[wrap up]
The present invention provides a shoe having a sole and an upper that is open along the instep so that a foot can be inserted and can be closed. The upper includes an inner part and an outer part. The inner part and the outer part serve as the outer surface of the shoe. Preferably, the outer portion includes a material that protects the foot. Preferably, the inner portion includes a sock-like liner. Each part is attached to the sole at the bottom of the sole and is bonded together at the top of the sole by a plurality of spaced pieces of material. Preferably, the spaced pieces of material include straps. Preferably, the spaced pieces of material are sewn to the inner and outer portions to form a loop through which the shoelace passes. A shoelace is positioned between the inner and outer portions through the piece of material and tightens both the inner and outer portions simultaneously around the foot. Preferably, the inner portion conforms to the wearer's foot when the fit closure structure is tightened.

  The present invention also provides a method for internally tightening a shoe with a closure system. An outer sole for shoes that is open to allow the foot to enter and can be closed on the foot by a closure system. The shoe includes a sock-like internal clamping structure located within the shoe. The sock-like internal clamping structure is secured to the shoe sole by its bottom and its top to the shoe closure system. The sock-like clamping structure can be adjusted to provide a better fit of the shoe around the shoe wearer's foot to ensure retention of the foot's position within the shoe.

  The aspects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be further understood with regard to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments of the invention provided herein are exemplary only and are provided by way of illustration only and not limitation. All features disclosed herein, including dimensions, materials, etc., can be replaced with alternative features that serve the same or similar purposes, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Accordingly, many other variations of the invention are envisioned as being within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined herein.

It is the perspective view which looked at the shoes of the left leg in a closed position from the inner side. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the shoe in the open position showing attachment of the sock-like internal clamping structure to the shoe closure system of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of the in-step portion of the shoe in the open position showing attachment of the sock-like internal clamping structure to the shoe closure system of FIG. 1. It is a schematic sectional side view of the inner part of the shoe of FIG. It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the shoe of FIG.

[Detailed description]
Referring now to FIG. 1, the shoe 1 has a sole 3, an outer upper 5, a shoelace 7, and a tongue piece 13. The present invention includes casual shoes, work shoes, and athletic shoes (soccer shoes, running shoes, football shoes, tennis shoes, golf shoes, cycling shoes, wrestling shoes, ice skates, inline skates, ski boots, hiking boots, etc. )) But can be used with a wide variety of shoes.

  Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the shoe 1 has an inner portion 9 inside the outer upper 5. The outer upper 5 is made of a material that is more rigid than the material of the inner portion. Preferably, the material is a material sufficient to protect the wearer's foot, such as polyester, nylon mesh, polyurethane synthetic fiber, leather, and canvas. More preferably, the material is polyester or polyurethane synthetic fiber. Inner portion 9 is made of a flexible material (eg, polyester, nylon, spandex, and other stretchable synthetic fibers). Preferably, the flexible material is also stretchable. More preferably, the inner part 9 consists of a polyester textile.

  The inner part 9 has two parts, 9A on the lateral side of the shoe and 9B on the medial side of the shoe. 4 and 5, both sides of the inner portion 9 are fixed to the sole 3 along the edge of the bottom surface from the toe region to the heel region. As shown in FIG. 5, both sides 9 </ b> A and 9 </ b> B of the inner portion 9 extend upward on the inner side surface of the outer upper 5 and are attached to the outer upper 5 along the upper edge.

  The upper edges of the inner portions 9A and 9B are fixed to the outer side and the inner side of the outer upper 5 by the strap 11. The ends of the strap 11 may be attached to the inner portion 9 and the inner portion 9 by any suitable method known in the art such as sewing, gluing, snapping, hook and loop (including hook-and-loop fasteners) (including Velcro®), or zipper. Connected to upper 5 Preferably, the end of the strap 11 is sewn to the inner part 9 and the outer upper 5.

  As best shown in FIG. 3, the strap 11 forms a loop through which the shoelace 7 passes. The shoelace 7 alternately passes through the loop of the strap 11 on the outer side and the inner side on the tongue piece 13. Both ends of the shoelace 7 are tied at points in the instep region 15 in front of the wearer's ankle.

  The wearer's foot is placed in the shoe 1 in the instep region 15. When the wearer's foot is in the shoe 1, the toe and midfoot area are surrounded by the inner portion 9. When the shoelace 7 is tightened, the outer side and the inner side of the outer upper 5 are drawn together on the wearer's foot and tongue piece 13. At the same time, the inner portions 9A and 9B are also drawn together on the tongue 13 with respect to the wearer's foot.

  In the tightened position, the outer upper 5 closes the instep region and fixes the foot inside the shoe 1. The rigid material of the outer upper 5 provides a protective cover for the foot. By tightening the shoelace 7, the inner portion 9 is also pulled around the wearer's foot. The flexible material of the inner portion 9 forms a sock-like liner that securely hugs the foot and provides a snug fit. The foot is firmly held by the inner portion 9, and the foot is stabilized in the shoe 1 by attaching the inner portion 9 to the outer upper 5. Thus, the connection between the inner part 9 and the rigid outer upper 5 by the closure system provides a perfect fit without compromising the protective performance of the upper.

  While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and various other variations and modifications are disclosed herein. It should be understood that this can be done within the scope of the invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims (9)

Shoes,
The shoe comprises a sole;
The shoe has a shell;
The upper is open along the instep so that the foot can be put in and can be closed;
The upper includes an inner part and an outer part,
Each of the parts is attached to the sole at its bottom,
Each of the parts is attached to each other by a plurality of spaced pieces of material at the top thereof
The inner part and the outer part serve as the outer surface of the shoe,
The shoe comprises a shoelace;
The shoelace is positioned between the inner portion and the outer portion through the piece of material, thereby simultaneously tightening both the inner portion and the outer portion around the foot.   The shape fit closure structure of claim 1, wherein the inner portion comprises a material that is more flexible than the material of the outer portion.   The shape fit closure structure of claim 2, wherein the inner portion conforms to a wearer's foot when the fit closure structure is tightened.   3. The shape fit closure structure of claim 2, wherein the outer portion includes a material that protects the foot.   The shape fit closure structure of claim 1, wherein the inner portion includes a sock-like liner.   The shape fit closure structure of claim 1, wherein the spaced apart piece of material includes a strap.   The shape fit closure structure of claim 1, wherein the spaced apart pieces of material are sewn to the inner portion and the outer portion.   The shape fit closure structure of claim 1, wherein the spaced pieces of material form a loop through which the shoelace passes. A method for tightening shoes internally by a closure system,
The closure system comprises:
(A) an outer sole of a shoe that is open to allow the foot to enter and can be closed on the foot by the closure system;
(B) A sock-like internal fastening structure located in the shoe, the bottom part of which is fixed to the sole of the shoe, and the upper part thereof is fixed to the closure system of the shoe. And
The sock-like clamping structure is adjustable, thereby providing a better fit of the shoe around the shoe wearer's foot and maintaining the position of the foot within the shoe. A method that can be sure.

Images